SUNDAY’S fixture at Ballycrystal provided 18-year-old Birr, Co Offaly native Eoin Middleton with a victory he’ll never forget, as he partnered Well P (7/2 - 4/1), a horse whom he jointly owns with his father Patrick, to success in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The Ellen Doyle-trained son of Ask was making just his second appearance for the stable having finished fourth in a similar contest at Ballinaboola two weeks previously.

Middleton picked up the running at the last and Well P stayed on strongly up the stiff Ballycrystal hill to deny the fast-finishing Blue Fin by half a length at the death.

“Eoin started working for us in the summer and he brought the horse with him. He has done all the schooling with the horse, and he had him ready for today. I’m delighted he’s got his first winner there,” said James Doyle, brother of the winning handler.

Ifeoinly again

Eoin McCarthy made the long trip from his Co Limerick base worthwhile as his Ifeoinly (5/2 - 3/1) landed the feature race on the card, the mares’ open, in convincing fashion.

The Brendan Walsh-owned eight-year-old, who was recording her third success of the season, quickened up nicely off the home bend under Brian Lawless and stayed on strongly to the line to see off the challenge of The Forge Hill by two and a half lengths.

A potential trip to Downpatrick for a hunter chase next month could be next on the agenda for the Oscar mare with McCarthy indicating that he will mix point-to-pointing and hunter chasing for the remainder of the season for the winner.

The Delgany rider brought up a quick double on the card in the concluding six-year-old and upwards maiden, this time teaming up with his father as they combined with the debutant Red Ford Lad (6/1 - 5/1).

The son of Court Cave, who is owned by the four-strong Glen of The Down Syndicate, led from the fifth last and repelled his challengers up the straight to account for the Peter Flood-trained Benjamin Braddock by four lengths.

“I’m delighted for the Glen Of The Down Syndicate, Frank O’Donnell, Martin O’Donnell, Brendan Doyle and Dave Mahon, they are all local lads and they have all been very patient with this horse so far.

“We brought his as a three-year-old and he’s only having his first run today, we’ve just taken our time with him as he’s had his problems but he did it well today.

Schooling

All credit to the lads for sticking with the horse,” remarked the winning handler who also praised his daughter’s efforts with the winning bay.

“Thanks to Katie who’s leading him up well, she’s done an awful lot of work with the horse and done all the schooling with him, so she’s responsible for him jumping well. Brian had the easy end of it today.”

O’Neill’s skills on show in double with Sleeping Satellite and Mizmua

LOCAL rider Barry O’Neill got the afternoon off to the perfect start when combining with Colin Bowe to take the four-year-old maiden with Sleeping Satellite (7/4 - 2/1).

Patiently ridden by O’Neill, the son of Mahler made some good progress inside the final mile before hitting the front at the back of the last and drawing away on the run-in to record a two-length victory over his stable companion Puddlesinthepark.

The Milestone Bloodstock-owned gelding, who was purchased at the Goffs UK May Store Sale for £13,000, was an intended runner at Nenagh on the same afternoon before diverting back to his handler’s local track after the former was cancelled.

O’Neill registered the second leg of his double when taking the winners-of-one contest with Mizmua (5/2 - 3/1) for the Vincent Halley yard.

The Laurance Halley-owned seven-year-old was never too far off the pace under O’Neill and picked up the lead before entering the home straight. He then kept on best, despite his saddle slipping in the closing stages, to account for the Mathew Flynn O’Connor-trained Hector Jaguen by three-quarters of a length.

“He did that well. Barry (O’Neill) said the saddle slipped back, so he couldn’t really ride him out, but he said he hadn’t really emptied his reserve. I’m delighted with him,” said the Kill, Co Waterford-based handler Halley who will now target the Milan gelding at another winners’ contest.

No hesitation by Rock The Hill

THE five- and six-year-old mares’ maiden saw Jack Hendrick team-up with another local handler, Clonroche-based Robert Tector, as Rock The Hill (8/1 - 9/1) managed to get her head in front at the second time of asking.

The Coolbawn Stables Partnership-owned mare had previously been pulled up in a very competitive four-year-old maiden at Lingstown back in December and she appeared to have improved significantly for that experience.

Having never been too far off the pace, the five-year-old hit the front after the penultimate fence and stayed on best up the hill to beat the more experienced Some Woman by three-quarters of a length.

“She had a run in Lingstown before Christmas and she’s come on loads for that run.

“We fancied her coming here today as she had worked very well at home.

“The ground really suited her today and she jumped fantastic the whole way around,” said Hendrick of the Shirocco mare who he suggested would likely be sales bound now.

Horse To Follow

Blue Fin (A. Fitzgerald): This Shantou gelding caught the eye staying on strongly up the run-in in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. Aidan Fitzgerald’s charge was drawing ever closer to the winner at the line, having jumped the final fence several lengths down on that rival. It would be no surprise to see him get his head in front in a similar contest.